Negative Tests for Tourists ?

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Courtesy of Janet Anscombe (In Tenerife) website:

The Spanish Health Department has announced this afternoon that from 23 November, all international arrivals (tourists, residents, swallows, whatever) from countries deemed at high risk according to the EU’s traffic light system (see HERE) will have to present a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours previously.
Sanidad says that the measure will add to the controls in place currently at airports such as temperature and visual checks. The new measure will mean that travel agencies, tour operators, air and sea transport companies and any other agent selling tickets must now provide information to anyone booking with them. The legislation will be published in the BOE tomorrow, and is in line with EU Recommendation 2020/1475, which aims to close the gap between the health monitoring models implemented by EU countries.
As far as the Canary Islands are concerned, this national Spanish measure operates over and above the regional one requiring tests on arrival at accommodation or, for those who didn’t bring a certificate of test results with them, of having a test here after they arrive. As can be seen from the traffic light map HERE, the United Kingdom is currently deemed as a high risk country of origin, and if this is the case from 23 November, anyone who is able to leave the UK will be required to bring one to enter the country: the map is updated weekly so will need to be checked before travel. Whether or not the UK is red on the EU map, those booking into regulated tourist accommodation here from 14 November will still have to present a test certificate to be allowed access to their accommodation and download the track and trace app.
The passenger location form, which everyone already has to provide before entering the country, will now include a request for confirmation that a test has been taken, with the certificate being able to be requested at any time – certificates can be in digital or paper form, and in English or Spanish.
The new measure will no doubt come as a complete relief to many who saw a wave of tourists intending to be tested here despite the regional Government saying that option should be the exception so as not to overwhelm the regional health system. For his own part, Canarian President Ángel Torres said that he was absolutely delighted with the news, that it coincided with requests that have been made by the Canarian Government for months.

[Captain Sensible]

Confirmation in a BOE has been made to require all passengers to Spain (including the Canary Islands), from 23 November, to have a negative test:

https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/tes...eWIcQ8#ath

[Rome77]

Confirmation in a BOE has been made to require all passengers to Spain (including the Canary Islands), from 23 November, to have a negative test:

https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/tes...eWIcQ8#ath

These latest developments are big news. I think that in general the only safe way that we can start resuming many of our normal activities is through extensive testing, so I welcome this latest requirement designed to protect people and reduce the spread of the virus. People simply shouldn't be getting through airports, into aircraft and visiting places with active infections, and this measure should help in this regard.

It will of course make it more difficult to travel to Spain, but we're in a global health crisis so additional costs/inconvenience is to be expected. Will this greatly reduce potential tourism to the Canaries? Quite possibly. For example, take our family of four due to fly from London to Fuerte mid-December. I've started  looking into testing options. Boots do 48 hour turnaround tests, though at £120 per test we'd be looking at a hefty £480. And there's of course a risk that you still can't travel should the test be inconclusive (or indeed positive!).

In the link from CanarianWeekly I did notice this paragraph though:

- Passengers arriving in Spain who, coming from a country or risk area, do not adequately accredit the completion of a PDIA for SARS-CoV-2 with a result negative made in the seventy-two hours prior to arrival, must have one immediately in a local medical centre. If found to be positive, protocols will be activated by the local health authorities accordingly.

So if you can't get a conclusive test before departure, you can still get tested locally after arrival it seems. It will be interesting to see whether the negative test results will be checked already at departure airports or on arrival only.

[Emmi Smith]

Has anyone here had the test on arrival?  Or know someone who has? If so, what is the procedure? Which medical centre? Public or private?  What transport can you use to get to the medical centre?  When you get the test results, what do you have to do with them?  Take them back to airport?  And how do the authorities know you are going to get the test once you leave the airport - as you could just disappear without going to a test centre. Perhaps you are accompanied by an armed guard?

So many questions, sorry, but it all seems a bit of a puzzle to me.

[Jason W]

Confirmation in a BOE has been made to require all passengers to Spain (including the Canary Islands), from 23 November, to have a negative test:

https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/tes...eWIcQ8#ath

These latest developments are big news. I think that in general the only safe way that we can start resuming many of our normal activities is through extensive testing, so I welcome this latest requirement designed to protect people and reduce the spread of the virus. People simply shouldn't be getting through airports, into aircraft and visiting places with active infections, and this measure should help in this regard.

It will of course make it more difficult to travel to Spain, but we're in a global health crisis so additional costs/inconvenience is to be expected. Will this greatly reduce potential tourism to the Canaries? Quite possibly. For example, take our family of four due to fly from London to Fuerte mid-December. I've started  looking into testing options. Boots do 48 hour turnaround tests, though at £120 per test we'd be looking at a hefty £480. And there's of course a risk that you still can't travel should the test be inconclusive (or indeed positive!).

In the link from CanarianWeekly I did notice this paragraph though:

- Passengers arriving in Spain who, coming from a country or risk area, do not adequately accredit the completion of a PDIA for SARS-CoV-2 with a result negative made in the seventy-two hours prior to arrival, must have one immediately in a local medical centre. If found to be positive, protocols will be activated by the local health authorities accordingly.

So if you can't get a conclusive test before departure, you can still get tested locally after arrival it seems. It will be interesting to see whether the negative test results will be checked already at departure airports or on arrival only.

 This is easily solved, if they can test the whole of Liverpool on a one hour rapid test they can set them up in Airports, but it needs willing on all parties.

[Ducks]

I'm wondering if airlines will insist passengers provide test certs before flying? I think it will severely damage their business if they do. I would be very hesitant to book going forward if I knew I could be refused without refund based on testing or procedural failure.

I would be happy to get a test on arrival and isolate if positive, but I would be very irritated to be forced to miss a flight I've paid for because of an "inconclusive" test taken before travel, especially if I was not infected. I imagine the expense of tests will put a lot of people off, too. 

This is going to pretty much kill the tourism industry until there's a vaccine, I suspect. Worrying news in general.

[Rome77]

 This is easily solved, if they can test the whole of Liverpool on a one hour rapid test they can set them up in Airports, but it needs willing on all parties.

It appears that the requirement from Spain is that the tests have to be PCR tests, and my understanding is that these new rapid tests aren't PCT tests though I am not completely sure about this. If rapid tests would be accepted then that would make it much easier to satisfy the "within 72 hours of arrival" requirement, and indeed also make testing on arrival easier as you say.

[el caballo hambriento]

There are a number of flights arriving today from the UK and other European countries.  I wonder how the checking of having this test has gone on.  If anyone has any feedback please write it to this board.

[Johnrgby]

I would have thought that the flights from the UK, are only to take people back as it is illegal to travel abroad from there other than for work. or am I wromg?

[el caballo hambriento]

I would have thought that the flights from the UK, are only to take people back as it is illegal to travel abroad from there other than for work. or am I wromg?

No comment!  But here is the list of International Flight arrivals for today 14 November

From https://www.ondafuerteventura.es/fuertev...te-sabado/

09:25 RY 8626 Düsseldorf
09:35 TUI2116 Düsseldorf
10:20 RY 8182 Londres Stansted
10:40 RY 3805 Manchester
10:55 JAF1712 Bruselas
11:15 TUI2278 Colonia
11:30 EZ 8535 Londres Gatwick
11:35 EW9552 Düsseldorf
11:45 TUI2148 Hannover
11:50 TUI2138 Frankfurt
12:30 LH 1840 Munich
12:40 DE 1440 Hamburgo
13:00 HE 3625 Leipzig
13:40 TUI2162 Munich
13:45 SR 3600 Berlin
13:45 SR 3362 Bremen
13:55 SR 3066 Kassel
14:05 DE 1456 Düsseldorf
14:25 SR 3360 Dresden
14:35 EXS137 Glasgow
14:50 RY 8806 Milan Bérgamo
14:50 DE 1402 Frankfurt
15:00 EZ 5921 Berlin
15:50 TUI2174 Stuttgart
16:05 EW 242 Colonia
16:50 LX 316 Luxemburgo
16:55 RY 6442 Bruselas
17:25 RY 8421 Edimburgo
18:25 RY 3701 East Midlands
18:30 RY 7128 Dublin
18:45 RY 4081 Liverpool